by Lauren White

     When Huntingtown High School Freshman Nora Keller plays her violin, it is like watching a magician at work. With very little effort, she can create beautiful melodies that give you goose bumps. “Nora is very talented. When she plays, she has a very big, luscious sound,” says Huntingtown Orchestra teacher, Mrs. Moran.

                  Nora has played the violin for eight years. She participates in the school orchestra, orchestras outside of school, a string ensemble, and summer music camps like the Scottish fiddle camp at Oberlin College. “I can’t imagine my life without music,” says Nora. Along with violin, Nora also plays the xylophone in the Hurricane’s marching band and guitar. She practices as much as possible; first she plays scales, followed by a warm up, and then she moves on to tougher pieces. Her favorite songs to play are popular songs. “I like playing songs people recognize because they seem to attract a wider audience, and it is easier for me to relate to them,” she says.

Although Nora does not plan on having a musical career, she wishes to continue playing beyond high school. “I know [music] will always be a big part of my life, in college and beyond. I enjoy playing in orchestras, and I would like to continue that.”